Agreed, charts are inconvenient on the kayak deck. And same are large-screen GPS for autos, like street pilot 7500 - non-waterproof and non-battery powered. Perhaps, I didn't make myself clear enough. If those 7" diagonal units worked from batteries, they would've been very close to paper maps and charts - yet not a substitute. Handheld units like 76 or 60 with screen diagonal <3" are farther from being a map/chart, than 7" screens, but they at least can be used as a map, - sort of, - and they can be used in a kayak. Btw, 72 model is one of those that fall in between Yelow Etrex and 76 - has a map, but can't upload anything more. With a list price $160 it should be availiable for $130, I guess.

Actually, I've been using Garmin Legend as a map, - non-colour and with smaller display than MAP60. It didn't subtitute the chart, but I didn't need a chart, drifitng along the Baja coast. Free pre-installed basic map in this GPS did substitute a paper topo-map, though, - poorly, because I didn't bother to buy their software with detailed maps, but this worked for me well enough, with a decent laminated topo-map. Topo-map was not just any map - I made colour copies of topo-atlas pages, folded each page in half (back to back), added scale on the half where it was missing, laminated and sewn together like a note-book. Has a size like those 7" GPS in autos, but costs about 20 times less and doesn't need a12V cabe ...

PS: Street Pilot 7500 wasn't a good example; it's exactly a street-pilot. There are waterproof marine GPS MAP305, 306 and 310, with screen 5", 6" and 10", respectivey. Real-time graphical weather data, radar-compatible and other bells and whistles. Not a kayaking item.

A friend was recently reaccounting of how his friend was able to track land speed and descent while skiing w/ a GPS watch. Anyone have manufacturers/models? Do they come w/ the other cool gadgets like compass and air temp? More importantly, are they water proof?

Garmin makes several waterproof models with features that you would like. The 76cxs and the 60csx come to mind. Both can be preloaded with topo's or charts. But better than that is the Uniden Mystic VHF, it not only is a marine VHF transreceiver, but has a built in GPS as well. It can also use charts that you download from your pc. Possibly the best feature of the Mystic is it's DSC mode, which means that with a single button push, you can let the coastguard now that you are in distress and it will relay your last known GPS position. I got one for about $300, a bargain in my book!

DeLorme's Earthmate GPS PN-20
Waterproof. Displays official NOAA raster charts and much more.
Unrivaled value and versatility and a revolutionary product hailed as the most innovative handheld GPS of 2007 by GPSTracklog.com.

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